AL SER Cable; A Complete Buyer’s Guide Blog

What’s a SER Cable?

SER stands for;

• Service
• Entrance

(With)

• Reinforcement.

Preliminary Information about AL SER Cables

So, this is a cable that serves power to the end user (service entrance). Usually, from a service drop pole transformer to the switchboard or power panel. Unlike many service entrance cables, it has a reinforcement which gives it more structural rigidity. Ideally, its applications overlap with the applications of a building wire. It’s a highly specialized cable.

AL SER is an Aluminum service entrance cable. This cable is designed to distribute 600 volts at temperatures not exceeding 900C. It is a secondary distributing power cable that is connected from the service drop to the building.

Aluminum SER often interconnects the meter box to the consumer’s distribution grid. This cable is used for underground and overhead transmission channels. AL SER Cable is therefore the ideal cable for your service entrance and secondary power wiring systems.

Before you get your AL SER Cable, it is advisable that you conduct a research to find a genuine cable and wire products suppliers.

This is because there are lots of scammers out there. Nassau Electrical is one of the leading cable and wire products supply companies in the world today, thanks to our commitment to serving our customers. We offer top quality licensed cable and wire products.

Customers are always curious to know all about cabling products before they make purchases. Especially, if it is their first time to make the purchase so here is some well-researched piece that gives all the fundamental details of the AL SER Cable which you should acquaint yourself with so as to make an informed choice when you opt to buy the cable.

Al SER Cable conductors are constructed with soft aluminum AA-8000 series. Aluminum bare conductor measures 2 AWG (American Wire Gauge) and an overall diameter of 1.061 inches. Aluminum SER Cable weighs approximately 526 lbs per 1000 feet. This cable is designed for an operational temperature rating of 900C, to distribute 600 volts and 125 amperes.

AA 8000 series is a type soft aluminum alloyed conductor which is compacted and stranded in accordance to ASTM B 800 and B 801. Soft aluminum conductors are easy to wound onto drums for shipment; and also twists with ease during installation. Aluminum cables are generally easy to lift and carry. This is because Aluminum is lightweight as compared to copper cables.

Grounding wire is also known as the draining wire or the neutral wire. It discharges electrons to the ground, a process known as earthing. Aluminum SER grounding conductor is made of soft aluminum 8000 series and is in line with the requirements of National Electric Code. It is left bare and wrapped together with the insulated aluminum conductors by a reinforcing tape.      

Reinforcement tape is made of aluminum foil or copper braid. It is used to wrap the aluminum conductors together to prevent them from overlapping. This helps for conformity and helps in maintaining the circular core for phase identification of this Aluminum SER Cable. The reinforcement tape protects the conductors from electromagnetic interference. It prevents direct impulses on the aluminum conductors thus increasing the service life of Aluminum SER Cable.

Construction of the AL SER Cable

Aluminum SER Cable conductor is made of AlumaFlex AA-8000 series. The soft drawn 8000 series fine wires are compacted and strand. Stranding as per this series helps with two things; it improves the flex life of the cable and improves the efficiency of power transmission.

The Aluminum conductors are insulated with a sunlight resistant insulation which is cross-linked polyethylene insulation. This kind of insulation is ideal for the protection of the cable because it absorbs impacts, shields the conductors form water, moisture, UV light and effects of temperatures of up to 900C.

The insulation could also be XHHW-2 or type THHN/THWN-2. Where by XHHW-2 stands for a cross linked polyethylene with High Heat resistant and Water resistant. On the other hand, type THHN is an acronym for Thermoplastic High Heat resistant Nylon and THWN for Thermoplastic High Water resistant an Nylon. These types of insulation materials are meant for general purpose use for conduits, branch circuiting, services, and feeders; in harsh industrial and commercial applications.

Type THHN and XHHW-2 insulation ensures that the safety of the Al SER Cable and the handler is not electrocuted. The insulation also protects the cable from deformations, fungal attacks, flames and corrosive chemicals. Aluminum SER conductors are insulated independently from the grounding wire. This eliminates any contacts between them and the live conductors which would cause power blows.

Insulated conductors are then wrapped with a binder reinforcing tape.

AL SER Cable Jacket

Aluminum SER conductors are jacketed with a grey Polyvinyl Chloride for protection. This is a sturdy material which takes care of abrasion, UV light, and water.

Aluminum SER Cable is an outdoor power distributing cable and thus requires a robust jacketing material to increase its service life.  Polyvinyl chloride compound is non-biodegradable and do not decompose when exposed to fungal attacks.

Polyvinyl chloride jacketing is lead free and thus environmental friendly. This is because it releases less smoke in the environment when burnt. Aluminum SER Cable is the cable of choice to help in eliminating air pollution.

PVC is flame retardant and will not burn easily in case of flames and fires; PVC melts to form a hard fire resistant material when burnt effectively protecting the underlying conductor. This jacketing layer is not reactive hence resistant to corrosion. It is gray color coded for easy identification. PVC jacketing for this cable meets the requirement of RoHS-Directive 2002/95/EC.

Approvals and Certifications for Aluminum SER

These are regulations that are set and used globally to authenticate that the cable is safe and ready for use. Approvals and certifications are license to the tested cables and wire products to enter the markets. The rules are made by the international standards organizations and are used globally. Type SER Aluminum Power Cable is tested and approved to meet all the requirements of the following organizations:

• ASTM B-800, B-801
• National Electric Code (NEC) 2005 edition part 310-15
• Underwriters Laboratory (UL) 44 standard
• Federal Specification A-A-59544
• UL standard 83
• NEC/NFPA 70

Applications of Aluminum SER Cable

Aluminum Service Entrance Cable as the name would suggest, is normally deployed as a service entrance cable. This cable is used to transmit 600 volts in both wet and dry environments. It is deployed in the following applications:

• Panel board
• Branch circuiting
• Used in feeders
• Residential house wiring
• Commercial buildings
• Service drop connection
• Meter box wiring

So, before you make a purchase online or on a brick and mortar premise, verify that the cable is high quality and approved by the standards organizations stated above.

For more information, feel free to get in touch with us today.